Olympics Men's Basketball: Top 5 individual performances of all time
Every four years, five if there is a global pandemic, the world witnesses a coming together of its best athletes to compete at the biggest sporting event on our planet - the Olympics. The Olympics is synonymous with the power of sport over politics and differences, uniting us all with our love of watching exceptional displays of athleticism, skill, and training.
Also Check out: Slovenia Olympic Basketball Team 2021
The virtues of the Olympics are highlighted in its renewed oath. Every athlete, judge, or coach, before competing, reads the following oath: “We promise to take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules and in the spirit of fair play, inclusion, and equality. Together we stand in solidarity and commit ourselves to sport without doping, without cheating, without any form of discrimination. We do this for the honor of our teams, in respect for the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, and to make the world a better place through sport.”
Top five individual basketball performances at Olympics
For every basketball player not playing in the NBA, Olympic basketball is a time to show the world their prowess. Relentless basketball battles at the Olympics, the opportunity to see incredible team performances, and the ever-hanging hopes of an underdog team dethroning the dominant Team USA make it a tournament that cannot be missed.
In today's list we rank the best five individual performances in the sport of basketball in the Summer Olympics. Spoiler Alert: there are no Americans on the list. At this point you are wondering, are there any NBA players on the list?
#5 Yao Ming
Yes, there are NBA players on this list. Ranked fifth here, Yao Ming was a 7' 6" giant center that represented China in the Olympics and Houston Rockets in the NBA. His best performance of the Olympics came in a tight match against New Zealand in 2004.
Yao, after China's defeat to Spain in the previous match, went all out against the Kiwis. Yao put up 39 points in the match and grabbed 13 rebounds. His dominant under-the-ring scoring and offensive skills helped Yao post such numbers on the scoring card. His extraordinary height helped him gather rebounds on both sides of the court and also helped him defend the ball.
Also Read: Who is Yao Ming’s wife, Ye Li?
#4 Arturo Guerrero
Mexican legend Arturo Guerrero is in the bracket of basketball players who have never played in the NBA. However, his is not your usual reason for not playing. He was offered a spot on the team by clubs like the LA Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers, but he turned them down for the sole reason of wanting to play for Mexico in the FIBA tournaments and the Olympics.
Arguably the best Mexican basketball player, Arturo participated in two Olympics and two FIBA World Championship. In 1974, in the seventh FIBA World Championship, Arturo averaged 27 points per game, becoming the lead scorer of the tournament.
His greatest Olympic performance came during the 1976 Montreal Olympics. In a game against team Japan, Arturo scored an incredible 41 points thus earning the fourth rank on this list.